Water-cooled slab mold



Oct 7, 1947 E. c. FALK LT AL A WATER-000ml) SLAB MOLD 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 24, 1945 mvg/ mons im@ C- alla.

oen. STEQM/ QW. ATTORNEYS Oct. 7, 1947. E. c. FALK Erm.

WATER-OOLED SLAB MOLD Filed March 24, 1945 s sheets-sheet? INVENTORS Flug, STEM Oct. 7, 194.7. E," c,.-FA| K ErAL 2,428,659

WATER-COOLED SLAB MOLD FiledMarch 24, 1945 3 Sheets-SlleeiI I5 J0 fd y 6' gg J FJH/- 30 m 4 1 33 *l i? fa i 43 J0 Tg5, 11g/.

`lNVENTORS /YBYf (JDM,

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 7, 1947 UNITED sTATEs PATENT orFlcEj 2,428,659 WATER-COQLED SLAB MOLD Ernest c. Falk and Robert s. sims. Torrington,

Conn., assignors to The American Brass Corn pany, a corporation of lConnecticut Application March 24, 1945, Serial No. v584,613

for casting slabs of metal, such as copper-bearing alloys, which are subsequently reduced to. sheets by rolling. 1

In general, water-cooled sla'b molds of this type comprise a stationary mold back and a comple;

mentary or mating mold front hinged to the mold back and capable of being swung through an .arc of 90 or more. When closed, the mold back and front provide a rectangular mold cavity having f aces and sides of good heat conductivity, usually plates of copper. The mold faces and usually the-m ld sides are in contact with circulating water, or other suitable cooling medium, owing through appropriately provided compartments.

As described in our copending patent application Ser. No. 522,459, filed February 15, 1944, of which this application is a continuation-impart, we have devised an improved construction of cooling compartment, for the metal frames of cooled slab molds, comprising longitudinal and transverse ribbing forming a plurality of vertical channels with a series of vertically spaced pockets, which impart a very active swirling action to the upwardly flowing cooling-medium. Briefly,

our improved mold construction comprises a mold back and a complementary mold front pivotally mounted at one side of the mold back, the mold back and mold front each comprising a recessed metal frame having a plurality of longitudinal ribs dividing the recess into a plurality lof vertical channels. The longitudinal ribs are each `of substantially the same depth as the recess in the frame. A series of vertically spaced transverse ribs is provided in each of the vertical channels' formed by the longitudinal ribs. The lowermost 40 transverse rib in each vertical channel is, like the longitudinal ribs, of substantially the same depth as the frame recess, while the other transverse ribs are of less depth. The transverse ribs are all in substantially liquid tight engagement with the longitudinal ribs and the frame itself so as to form a series of relatively deep pockets communicating with each other only over the upper edges of the transverse rifbs. Each of the lowermost transverse ribs has an opening therein,

and each of the longitudinal ribs has an opening near its top and a bottom opening beneath the lowermost transverse rib. Means vare provided for deliveringcooling medium to the -bottom of one of the vertical channels beneathv its' A55 6 Claims. (Cl. 22-144) 2 lowermost transverse rib, and further means are fprovided for withdrawing cooling medium from near the top of vone of the vertical channels.

The present invention further provides an improvement upon the cooling compartment structure disclosedin our aforesaid application. Thus, according to the present invention, one or more of the vertical channels, in the recessed metal frame, isdivided by a transverse vertical partition into a front cooling channel and a rear dis-l charge channel in communication with one another at the tops thereof. The cross sectional area of the discharge channel (or channels) is greater than the cross sectional area of the inlet (or inlets) v'for the cooling medium.v Where the mold back ha's a. depending foot, as inthe mold of our aforesaid-application, the discharge channel may advantageously communicate with a registering opening in the foot itself.

The vertical channels formed bythe longitudinal ribs are divided into a plurality of superposed pockets by a series of vertically spaced transverse ribs in the front cooling channel and in each of the other vertical'channels. Atransverse vertical partition above the uppermost transversev ribs -forms a dam dividing each channel into a front pocket and a rear pocket in communication with oneanother at the tops thereof (i. e. over the dam) Behindthe dams, the longitudinal ribs have openings (or are omitted or cut away) so that the rear pockets communicate with one another to-form a transverse outlet manifold communicating 'with the aforementioned rear discharge channel.VA The longitudinal ribs also have openings near their bottoms to provide a transverse inlet manifold in communication with each vertical channel. An inlet and an outlet for cooling medium communicate with the transverse inlet manifold and the bottom of the rear discharge channel`, respectively The foregoing and other novelfeatures invention willl be 'best' understood from lowing description taken in ,cnjunction accompanying 'drawingsQin vwhich Fig. 1 is a transverse section of aigu mold embodying the invention. alxrsp 4th sec-, tion line' I-I of the mold back QflFgmZi Fig. 2 isfa front elevationzo the mold acklf (section 2--2 of Fig. 1),

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionof ,the mold A.back on the section line 3-3 of Figi 2,; f, y,...

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section (onsl the section line 4-4 of Fig. 2), of the `mold back,

Figs. 5, 6. and 7 are transverse sections of th 3 y mold back on the section lines 5 5, 6-8 and 1 1, respectively. of Fig. 2, I

Fig. 8 is a partial transverse section of a seven channel mold embodying the invention,

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the mold back (section 9--9 of Fig. 8), and I Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the mold back on the section line III-I of Fig.` 9.

'riie'mom iuustraied in, Figs. 1 to '1 comprises in brackets I3 on the outer face ofthe mold front B. A link I4 is pivoted toeach end of each yoke. The outer or free end of leach link Il has a head I adapted to operatively engage slotted lugs I6' on the sides of the stationary mold back A. When the mold is closed and the heads Vvl5 operatively engage their respective slotted lugs I6, the mold members A and B are clamped together by turning the'bolts Il, screw-threaded in central bosses I3 -oi each yoke and pressing against aligning wear plates |9 on the outer face'of the mold front B. y

The stationary mold back A comprises a rectangular metal frame 20 .and a rolled copper plate or mold vface 2| appropriately secured thereto. 'I'he frame 20 is recessed or hollow to provide when covered by the plate 2| a channelled compartment for the cooling medium, such as water. The movable mold front B similarly comprises a rectangular metal frame 22 anda rolled copper plate or mold face 23. While it is now our preferred practice to cast the frames of iron, they may be made of welded steel or in any other appropriate manner or of other suitable metal. The mold faces 2| and 23 are operatively secured to their mating frames 20 and 22, respectively, by longitudinal clamp bars 24, as particularly described and claimedin our copending patent application Serial No. 522,460, iled Febru- 'ary 15, 1944. The clamp bars 24 are'securedto the sides of ltheir respective frames (20 andr 22) by roundl headed bolts 25 tting in counter bored holes in the clamp bars and registering holes in the frames. The mold sides are formed in two sections consisting of a mold side bar' 26 having -a tongue and groove connection with a backing bar 21, as particularly described and claimed in our aforementioned patent application. Each backing bar 2l is securelygheld against the adjacent clamp bar 24 by round headed bolts 28 fitting in counter bored holes in the backing bar and extending through registering holes in the clamp bar into registering holes in the frame 20. 'I'he joint between the rectangular end walls of the frame and the adjacent mold face and clamp bar is advantageously sealed by aheat resistant packing 60, as more particularly described and claimed in our copending :application Ser. No. 584,614, filed Mar. 24, 1945. It is to be understood that the mold faces 2| and 23 may be'secured` to their mating frames in any other appropriate manner, as for example by the heretofore customary bolts as described in our aforementioned application Ser. No. 522,459, and similarly the 'scribed in that application. y y

'I'he recessed compartments for the cooling- `depth of the longitudinal ribs 29 is substantially tically spaced transverse horizontal ribs 30 (des-4 ignated 30 in one vertical channel as hereinafter explained). 'Ihe transverse ribs 30 form pockets,

forthe most part relatively deep, in the vertical A channels formed by the longitudinal ribs 29. The

the same as the depth of therecess in the frame, while the depth of the transverse ribs 30 is less than the depth of the recess in the frame (Fig. l), except as hereinafter particularly specified. In other Words, the longitudinal ribs 29 extend from the back wall of the frame 20 (and 22) into contact with the adjacent mold face, while the transverse ribs 30 extend from the back wall of the frame to within a short distance of the mold face and thereby permit upward flow of the cooling medium through the spaces (passages) between the transverse ribs and the mold face.

In accordance with the' present invention, one. or more ifdesired, of the vertical channels is divided by a transverse vertical partition 3| into a front cooling channel 32 and aA rear discharge channel 33. Hence, the cooling channel 32 is only about half the depth of the other three vertical cooling channels, and the pockets formed in the channel 32 by the vconsequentlynarrciwer transverse ribs 30' are only about half as deep as the pockets formed in the other three verticalchannels by the full depth transverse ribs 3|).

'I'he cross sectional area of the discharge channel the frame 20 has a depending foot 35 integral with the frame, the outlet opening may advantageously be extended through the foot as a hole 34 in the foot.

As more particularly explained in'our aforementioned application Ser. No. 584,614, the longitudinal ribs 29 extend a distance corresponding to the thickness of the packing (say about 0.045 inch) beyond-the rectangular end walls v support to the adlacentmold face and thus to` mold sides may be bolted to the frames as n de- 1 of the recessed frame, in order togive adequate insure casting slabs v0f uniform thickness. To

the same'end and additionally to form restraining Aelements for the packing, the transverse ribs of the two outer vertical channels `are of the l same depth' as the longitudinal ribs for a short portion of their width adjacent the side wall o'f the recessed frame.. Thus, in the mold of Figs. 1 to 7, the transverse ribs 30' as well vas the transverse ribs 30'in the opposite outside vertical channel terminate short of the Iadjacent mold face for a greater part of their width and extend into contact with the mold face for the remainder oi their width (see Figs. 1 and 6).

Below the'series of transverse ribs 30 and 30', of less depth than the depth of the vertical channels in which they are respectively positioned, is

a transverse horizontal -rib 38 suitably spaced from the lower end wall of the recess in the frame and of the same depth as the recess. Between these lowerxnost transverse ribs 38 and the lower end wall of the recess, the longitudinal ribs 28 have transverse openings 31 which place the bottoms of all four vertical cooling channels in communication to provide a transverse inlet manifold. Cooling medium is delivered to the inlet manifold through an inlet opening .38 in the lower end wall of the recessed frame. In the case of the stationary mold back A, where the frame 20 has the depending foot 35, the inlet opening may advantageously be laterally extended through the upper part of the foot to one side of the frame and there suitably connected to the of the vertical channels are of approximately half the depth of the recess in the frame 2li (and 22)', the discharge manifold 45 taking up'the remaining half of the depth of the recess'behind these top pockets.

The frames 20 and 22 may advantageously be made of iron, steel or the like `with the ribbing and partitions integral parts of the frame. The

inlet and outlet openings for the cooling medium, as well as the graduated openings 39-42` may be formed in the frame itself, so that. th'e frame requires a minimum of machining to prosource of cooling medium. Each lowermost transverse rib 36 has a vertical slot or opening 39, 40, 4i and 42 respectively, providing Apassages for the cooling medium from the transverse inlet manifold (formed between those ribs and the bottom wall of the recessed frame) to the four cooling channels there above. These vertical openings 39, 40, 4| and 42 increase progressively in size as their distance from the inlet opening 38 increases in order to equalize the pressure and ilow of cooling medium to each of the four vertical cooling channels.

The transverse vertical partition 3| terminates short of the' upper end wall of the recessed frame (and 22) -thus providing a dam with an open-v ing or slot 43 permitting unrestricted flow of cooling medium from the front cooling channel 32 over the top of the dam into th'e rear discharge channel 33 (Fig. 3). Each of the other three vertical channels has a corresponding transverse vertical partition or dam 44 above the uppermost transverse ribs 30 (Fig. 4). The dams 44 terminate short of the upper end wall of the recessed lframe 20 (and 22),thus providing openings or slots 43' permitting unrestrictedflow of cooling 'medium from each vertical channel over the top of its dam 44. Behind the partition 3l and dams 44 and above the uppermost transverse ribs 30, the longitudinal ribs 29 extend through only the front half of the depth of the recess,or in other words there are no vertical ribs behind the dams. Thus, the space behind the dams (i. e. between the dams and the back wall of the frame 20) serves as a transverse outlet manifold 45 for the cooling medium ilowing over the tops of the dams, and from this manifold the cooling medium flows into the discharge channel 33.

Cooling medium, such as water, is delivered to each mold member A and B through the inlet opening38, and is distributed to the four vertical coolingv channels through th'e graduated or meteringslots 39-42. The transverse ribs 30 and 30 provide a' series of pockets in the vertical channels, which impart avery active swirl-f4 ing action to the upwardlyflowing medium. This swirling action causes turbulence in the cooling medium as it ilows upwardly past the copper mold facel 2| (and 23) and thereby eects a rapid anduniform equalization of the absorbed heat, since the cooling medium in contact with the copper mold face is constantly changed by the turbulent and lively swirling action. The pockets in three of the vertical channels are of the full depth ofthe recess inthe'frame 28 (and22), while the pockets in the fourth vertical channel are of approximately half the depth of the recess, the dischargechannel 33 taking up the remaining half of the 'depth 'of the recess behind this fourth vertical cooling channel. The tcp pockets in each vide its characteristically novel system of cooling and discharge channels, and transverse inlet the transverse vertical partition 3l may be positioned in any one or more of the vertical channels. Similarly the inlet andcutlet for the cooling medium may be variously positioned. Thus, in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings, the metal frames 20' and 22 of the mold back and front, respectively, have their recessed cooling compartments divided by the longitudinal ribs 29' into seven vertical channels. The middle channel of each frame is divided by a transverse vertical partition 3i into a front cooling channel 32' and a rear discharge channel 33. Spaced from the lower end wall ofthe frame, each vertical channel has a lcwermost transverse rib 46 of substantially the same depth as the recess. Beneath the transverse ribs 46., the longitudinal ribs 29 have openings 41 to provide a transverse inlet manifold, Two inlet pipes 48 communicate with the inlet manifold. The inlet pipes 48 are positioned near the bottoms of the second and sixth vertical channels,` and the opening 49 in the transverse ribs 46 are metered or graduated in size according to their distance from one or the other inlet, for the purposes hereinbefore explained. Directly above the lowermost transverse rib 46 of the center vertical channel, an outlet pipe 50 communicates with the discharge channel 33. The inlet pipes 48 and outlet pipe 50 extend from the back of the frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 10.

The mold of Figs. 8, 9 and 10 has water-cooled sides. Each mold side comprises a copper plate or mold face 5| secured by bolts 52 to a backing -bar 53. Each backing bar 53 is securely held against its adjacent clamp bar 24 by round headed bolts 54 fitting in counter bored holes in the backing bar and extending through registering holes in the clamp bar into registering holes in the frame 20. The inner face of each backing bar 53 is recessed to provide with its adjacent mold face 5l a longitudinal cooling compartment 55 having an inlet 5B near its bottom and a corresponding outlet near its top. l

So far as the features of the present invention are involved, the mold of Figs. 8, 9 and 10 is otherwise of substantially the same construction. as the mold of the other figures, and such other corresponding elements are indicated by the same reference characters. The mold of Figs. 8, 9 and 10 is adopted to cast slabs 40 by 62 inches and '7 inches thick, weighing approximately 5000 pounds. The swinging mold front B is clamped to the stationary mold back A, on each side, by T-headed bolts 51, having their T-heads held in bifurcated lugs 58 on the sides of the mold back lmold having a plurality of longitudinal ribs of substantially'7 the same depth asthe depth of the recess dividing the recess into` a plurality of vertical channels and having a series of vertically spaced transverse ribs forming communicating pockets in the vertical channels, a transverse ver- 8 most transverse ribs extending inwardly from the adjacent mold face for only about halt the depthof the recess in said frame, a dam above the uppermost transverse rib in each of said vertical channels between the inner edges of the portions of the longitudinal ribs of decreased depth and extending upwardly towards but spaced from the upperend wall of the frame, an inlet for cooling medium beneath said lowermost transverse ribs,

tical partition in one of said vertical channels dividing ythat channel into a front cooling chan` nel and a rear discharge channel, said longitudinal ribs having openings near their bottoms to provide a transverse inlet manifold, a dam in each of said vertical channels above the uppermost transverse rib dividing the channel into a front pocket and a rear pocket in communication with one another at the tops thereof, said longitudinal ribs having openings behind said -dam to provide a transverse outlet manifoldin communication with said rear discharge channel, an inlet for cooling medium communicating with said transverse inlet manifold, and an outlet for cooling medium communicating with said rear discharge channel. l

2. A mold member for a cooled slab mold com- I prising a recessed metal frame having a plurality ofv longitudinal ribs of substantially the same depth as the depth of the recess and dividing the recess into a plurality of, vertical channels,

- a'mold face securedto said frame and covering said recess, a transverse verticalpartition dividing one of said vertical channels'into a front cooling channel and a rear discharge channel in communication with one another at the tops thereof, a series of vertically spaced transverse ribs in said front cooling channel and in each of the other vertical channels formed by the longitudinal ribs, the lowermost transverse rib in each of said channels contacting the adjacent mold face and the othertransverse ribs being spaced and an outlet for cooling medium communicating with the bottom of said rear dischargechannel.

4. A mold back member for a cooled slab mold comprising a metalframehaving a recess anda plurality of longitudinal ribs of substantially the same depth as the depth of the recess and dividing the recess, into a plurality of vertical channels, a mold facel secured tol said frame and covering said recess, a transverse vertical partition dividing one of said'iverticalfchannels into av front cooling channel and a rear discharge channel in communication with one another at the tops thereof, an integral foot depending from' said frame and having a hole therethrough communieating at its top with said discharge channel, a

series of vertically spaced transverse ribs in said front cooling channel and in each of the other vertical channels formed by the longitudinal ribs,

the lowermost transverse rib in each of said chanfrom the adjacent mold face to permit upward now of cooling medium, each ofthe-lowermost transverse ribs having an opening therein, each of said longitudinal ribs having an opening above the uppermost transverse rib and an opening beneath the lowermost transverse rib, an inlet for cooling medium beneath said lowermost transverse ribs, and an outlet for cooling medium,l communicating with the bottom of said rear discharge channel.

3. A mold member for a cooled slab mold comprising a recessed metal frame having a plurality of longitudinal ribs of substantially the same depth as the depth of the recess and dividing the recess into a plurality of vertical channels, a mold face secured to said frame and covering said recess, a transverse vertical partition dividing one of said vertical channels into a front cooling channel and a rear discharge channel in communication with one' another at the tops thereof, a series of vertically spaced transverse ribs in said front cooling channel and in each of the other .vertical channels formed by the longitudinal ribs, the lowermost transverse rib in each of said channels contacting the adjacent mold face and the other. transverse ribs being spaced from the adjacent mold face to permit upward ow of cooling medium, each of the lowermost transverse ribs having an opening` therein, each of said longitudinal ribs having a transverse opening beneath the lowermost transverse rib, the portion of each of said longitudinal ribs above the upperjacent mold face to permit having an opening therein,

nels vcontacting the adjacent mold face and the other transverse ribs being spaced from the admedium, each of the lowermost transverseribs nal ribs having a transverse opening beneath the lowermost transverse rib, permost transverserib in each of said vertical channels dividing the channel into a front pocket and a rear pocket in communication with onean-VA in the tops of 'said longiother at the tops thereof, tudinal ribs having openingsiproviding free communication between said rear pockets and the top of the aforesaid rear discharge channel, and an inlet for cooling medium beneath said lowermost transverse ribs.

5. In a, mold for castingmetal slabs having a mold back and a complementary mold front pivotally mounted at one side of the mold back, .the mold back and mold front each comprising a recessed metal frame having a plurality of longitudinal ribs dividing the recess into a pluralityvof l vertical channels,` said longitudinal ribs being of substantially the-same depth as the depth of the recess. a series of vertically spaced transverse ribs in each of the vertical channels formed by the longitudinal ribs, the lowermost transverse rib in each vertical channel being of substantially the same depth as the recess and the other transverse ribs being of less depth, said transverse ribs all being in substantially liquid tight engagement with the longitudinal ribs and the frame itself so as to form a series of relatively deep pocketscommunicating with each other only over the upper edges of the transverse ribs, each of the lowermost transversel ribs having an opening therein, each of said longitudinal ribs having an opening near its top and a bottom opening beneath the lowermost transverse rib,y means for delivering cooling medium to the bottom of one of said vertical channels beneath its lowermost transverse rib, and means for withdrawing coolingmedium from near the top of one of said vertical channels.

6. In a mold for castingmetal slabs having a mold backy and a complementary mold front piv-f` otally mounted at oneside of the `mold back, the,v

mold back .and mold front each comprising upward ow of cooling each of said longitudii a dam above the upcessed metal frame having a plurality of longitudinal ribs dividing the recess into a plurality of vertical channels, said longitudinal ribs being of substantially the same depth as the depth of the recess, a series of vertically spaced transverse ribs in each of the vertical channels formed by the longitudinal ribs, the lowermosttransverse rib in each vertical channel being of substantially the same depth as the recess and the other transverse ribs being of less depth, each of the lowermost transverse ribs having a vertical opening therein, each of said longitudinal ribs having a transverse opening near its top and a transverse opening beneath the lowermost transverse rib, means for delivering cooling medium to the bottom of one of said vertical channels beneath its lowermost transverse rib, the'size of the vertical openings in lthe transverse ribs progressively increasing the farther the opening is positioned from the channel to which cooling medium is delivered, and

, 10 means for withdrawing cooling medium -from near the top of one ot saldvvertical channels.

ERNEST C. FALK. ROBERT S. STORES.

REFERENCES c'rrnn l The following references are of recrd in the ille of' this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date h 1,973,550 Todt Sept. 11, 1934 2,316,180 Mueller Apr. 13, 1943 972,429 Baird --.1--- Oct. '11, 1910 1,796,853 McMullan Mar. 17, 1931 1,895,135 Rohn Jan. 24, 1933 1,218,367 Bruggeman Mar. 6, 1917 1,373,660 Iverson Apr. 5, 1921 1,987,962 Leupold Jan. 15, 1935 

